Youngstown gets first win of the season in extra time

The Dubuque Fighting Saints picked up a point but couldn’t get the second as the Youngstown Phantoms secured their first victory of the season on Friday night. Youngstown scored two late third period goals to tie the game at three before notching the extra point in the shootout. Dubuque moved to 4-1-1-1 on the season while Youngstown got to 1-5-0-1. Here is how it played out:

-Dubuque continued their point streak and moved it to six games with the shootout loss on Friday night. The Fighting Saints have gained a point in every single game this season expect for the season opener against Green Bay. Dubuque now has 10 points on the season.

-The Fighting Saints are starting to see the productivity that comes from JD Greenway and James Sanchez. Greenway had a goal on a beautiful rush and Sanchez divvied out three assists. Sanchez has been on fire as of late, securing five points in the last two games. Greenway was also a dominant physical presence.

-The Fighting Saints took a season high seven penalties in tonight’s game. The team came in as one of the more disciplined squads in the league, but in a chippy contest they were whistled for seven infractions. More whistles than not resulted in extra-curricular activities.

-Oliver David said that Youngstown was one of the toughest teams Dubuque has played all season and they showed it. Despite falling behind by two goals the team grinded in the third period to tie the game. Youngstown showed speed and tenacity all throughout the game.

-It may sound like a broken record, but Matthew Thiessen was great in net for Dubuque. He made 25 saves including a paddle stop that could be an early contender for save of the year. Thiessen was the best penalty killer for Dubuque all evening.

-This was by far the quickest pace to a game that the Fighting Saints have seen all season. From the get go, the two teams were trading chances and rushes up the ice. The speed was even on both sides too. Neither the Phantoms nor the Fighting Saints looked overmatched by the opposing teams wheels.

-On an incredibly special Childhood Cancer Awareness Night, the festivities were plentiful. Savanna Flynn, a childhood cancer survivor, dropped the first puck. The proceeds of the 50/50 raffle and a jersey auction after the game went to Compass to Care to help support them in their mission to provided transportation to and from cancer care for families affected by childhood cancer.

-The Fighting Saints are back in action on Sunday afternoon when they take on the Green Bay Gamblers. Dubuque will look to avenge their opening game loss and to also extend their point streak to a lucky seven games.